Bruny Island south of Hobart in south-eastern Tasmania is most famous for its birdlife. But it has also got some great nature and scenery, sandy beaches, coastal heathland, and some rainforest with plants endemic to Tasmania. There are also some spectacular cliffs of Jurassic dolerite, a rock not found on the mainland Australia. Here is some Bruny Island travel information, and in the end of the page is a Bruny Island map.
Aboriginal History of Bruny Island Tasmania Bruny island is also known for its history. Many famous Tasmanian Aboriginal People lived on Bruny Island, including the woman who is sometimes referred to as “the last Tasmanian Aborigine”. In fact, many descendants of Tasmanian aborigines do live on today. There are some Aboriginal sites on the island, like middens, quarries and artefacts.
Plants, Birds and Animals of Bruny Island Tasmania The plant life of the island is also interesting, with many endemic species like the eyebright Euphrasia fragosa, and some different plant communities like heathlands, eucalypt scrubs and eucalypt forests, and the coastal communities that are affected by the spray of salt water. Many bird watchers head to Bruny Island to see the island’s rich bird life. There are more than 120 bird species here, such as the hooded plover, spotted pardalote, tawny-crowned honeyeater, Australasian gannet, ground parrot, and large colonies of muttonbirds and penguins. Animals include echidnas, brushtail possums, Tasmanian pademelons and Bennetts wallabies; and marine animals such as seals and whales. Whaling used to be a big industry here, and some species of whales such as Southern Right Whales are still threatened.
Bruny Island Ferry To get to the island, you drive south from Hobart to Kingston, and then Kettering. There is a vehicular ferry that goes from Kettering to Roberts Point on northern Bruny Island. The ferry trip takes 15 minutes. From Roberts Point, there is a road to southern parts of the island.
Northern Bruny Island Tasmania In the northern end of the island is the small township Barnes Bay, and north of it are Killora, the small Dennes Hill Nature Reserve, and Cape the la Sortie. Further south is Miles Beachs near Cape Queen Elisabeth, the Big Hummock lookout, and the Neck – a narrow isthmus between northern and southern Bruny island. There is a camping site at the Neck Game Reserve, with toilets and some water.
Southern Bruny Island Tasmania Further south, on the eastern coast, is Adventure Bay. It’s a safe area for swimming, and there are also a few short bushwalks. The Grass Point Walk (1 ˝ hrs return) starts at the entrance to the national park. It is an easy walk, mainly flat, and follows the coast to Grass Point, where you can see some remains of a whaling station, and between June and October, the Southern Right Whales that have returned to the bay. The second walk, the Fluted Cape Walk (2 ˝ hrs return), is a steeper walk that follows the coast and climbs up to the coastal cliffs where you have some great views of Fluted Cape and Tasman Peninsula. You can often see sea eagles here, and whales in season.
Southern Bruny Island Tasmania In the southern end of Bruny Island is the South Bruny National Park. Cloudy Bay is a great place to surf, and there is also a camping ground in Cloudy Bay. There are a few bushwalking tracks around in the area, with some great views of the coastline and cliffs. A four-hour walk that starts in the end of Cloudy Bay road, goes to East Cloudy Head. West from Cloudy Bay, there is a walk to the Cape Bruny Lighthouse – Australia’s second oldest lighthouse; and there is also a six-hour walk around the Labillardiere Peninsula. The walk starts at the Jetty Beach campground and does a cirquit around the peninsula. There are some nice views, a few nice beaches, and you can spot forty-spotted pardalotes on that walk. At Jetty Beach is the oldest jetty on the island. Other than camping, places to stay on Bruny Island are Inala Hotel and Port Huon Cottages.
Here's a Bruny Island map where I have tagged the places that I mentioned on this web page. You can click on the tags to see what places they are, and double-click anywhere on the map to zoom it in and see the places closer. Drag the map to move around, and if you want to see the satellite image with Google Earth, click on "Sat" in the top right hand corner.
NOTE: This website is written in British English, which is the English we use in Australia. You will find words like "traveller", "harbour" and "realise", and they are all correct in the language used in Australia.
